Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is heading to his childhood home of Miami. The billionaire, who also owns The Washington Post and the world’s largest sailing yacht, shared on Thursday that he was moving to Florida because it is closer to his parents and the Cape Canaveral operations of his space firm, Blue Origin. Bezos is worth $161 billion and ranks as the third-richest person in the world, according to Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index.
He also owns homes in Washington, D.C.; New York City; Los Angeles; and Maui, as well as a ranch in Texas. The move to Florida came after he added another mansion to his estate arsenal in mid-October when he bought a seven-bedroom mansion on a South Florida island for $79 million, Bloomberg reported.
The home, on an artificial barrier island in Indian Creek, is reportedly the largest residence in the area. It features a 25,000-square-foot Tudor-style main house with both an indoor and outdoor pool, as well as a separate guest house and waterfront access to Lake Washington.
Bezos also has a 25,000-square-foot mansion in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Brentwood, which he bought for $8.4 million in 2022. The property is set on the edge of the cul-de-sac and features a grand entryway with a staircase leading to a foyer and formal living room.
It also has a large, modern kitchen and a formal dining room with French doors open to the patio. The main suite has a private terrace with a Jacuzzi, and the home has four other bedrooms and bathrooms.
A fenced backyard features a pool, a fire pit, and an outdoor kitchen. The property also includes a tennis court and a basketball court.
In his Instagram post, Bezos shared a video from 1994 showing him standing in the garage where he started Amazon as an online bookseller and grew it into a tech giant that has revolutionized many aspects of society. The billionaire also shared a photo of him with his dog, Jack, near the original garage.
“As exciting as the move is, it’s an emotional decision for me,” Bezos wrote. “Seattle, you will always have a piece of my heart.”
The Amazon CEO’s departure from Seattle will likely have significant consequences for the company’s workforce in the area. The company has helped transform Seattle’s downtown landscape, turning warehouses and parking lots into office towers and expensive eateries that have contributed to an economic boom.
But the city’s crime rate is climbing, and last month, it surpassed a record number of homicides for 2022. Earlier this month, CNBC wealth reporter Robert Frank noted that Bezos may be fleeing Washington state because of the state’s 7% capital gains tax, which would cost him nearly $700 million if he were to sell some of his Amazon shares. Despite the potential tax hit, Bezos will likely keep some of his real estate in the Seattle region.
